Sectional bookcase.



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SNYDER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SECTIONAL BOO KCAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,687, dated December 25, 1900. Application filed Julyl 21, 1900. Serial No. 24,374. (No model.)

To all whom, it 17mg concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES SNYDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of' Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sectional Bookcases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a sectional bookcase.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide improved means for joining the several detachable sections together, so as to obtain a strong and durable bookcase and one which maintains its position without danger of warping.

Another object of my invention is to obtain a sliding and folding door which can be easily manipulated by improved means for guiding the movement of said door.

The various features of my invention are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in Which- Figurev 1 is a perspective View of one of the sections. Fig. 2 is an inside perspective View of one of the ends of said section. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through two sections joined together. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one end of the door and its attachment. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of door, slat, and hinge.

A single book-section in skeleton form of the bookcase is shown in Fig. l. It consists of end pieces AA. The bottom edge of each is provided with gains a a, which receive the base-pieces B. These base-pieces may be of strips which are covered at the bottom board b', as shown in Fig. 3, to ,form a shelf, or the pieces may extend across the entire bottom and form the shelf itself. The depth of the gains a a are only one-half of the thickness of the base-pieces B, so that the latter project below the bottom edge of the end pieces.

b h representgains formed at the top edge of the end pieces. These gains are about one and one-half the depth of the top strips C, which are tenoned to tit into the gains. These gains and depressions at the top of the sections form a seat or recess to receive the downwardly-projecting portions of the basepieces B,which seat snugly therein.' The base or shelf of each section therefore performs two important offices, first, it securely binds the end pieces of its own section together at the base, and, second, the base projects into the gains b of the section or base underneath, and thus two sections are secured and held together against lateral displacement and forms a firm union of two sections, requiring no fastening, so that they can be readily taken apart and put together.

The main base of the bookcase is the counterpart of the top of each bookcase, so that the base of the bookcase-section will register or nest with the main base in the same manner as the respective book-sections and connect with each other.

In order to provide suitable means for controlling the operation of the sliding dropdoor, the following devices are employed:

e represents a gain formed in each of the end pieces, in which the door D slides when folded back.

d represents vertical gains in said end pieces near the rear edge, which is connected at the top with the gain e by rounding the corners of both the said gains.

In order that the door may be opened and closed easily and positively, I mount the same as follows:

E represents a slat t-o which the door is connected by hinges fr at each end thereof.

s represents stops attached to the top face of the slat E, and they are adapted to engage with the top strips C, so as to limit the forward and backward movement of the door. These stops may be of Wood and faced with elastic orcushioning material, so as to prevent jar. To the slats E are attached apronslats G, which are connected together by a iieXible canvas after the manner of roll-top desks, and this apron extension, together with the slat E, is sufliciently long to cover the top of the book-section when the door is let down to close the front opening, thereby more effectively preventing the dust from entering the bookcase. The apron and slat perform another function. They prevent the binding and twisting of the door in its Inovements when it is thrown back in the horizontal position. The apron also is used as a stop to limit the rear movement of the door.

Another important advantage is obtained bythe construction herein shown. It will IOO be observed that they base-pieces B rest upon the t-op pieces C of the section underneath, making a double thickness of rails which support the shelf. Hence the sagging of the shelf is effectively prevented.

Having described my invention, I claiml. A bookcase-section composed ofY end pieces, having gains at their bottom edges, base-pieces seating in said gains and projecting below the end pieces, top gains in said end pieces, longitudinal tie-strips seated in said gains, their top surfaces-bein g depressedbelow the top of the end pieces and the gains therein, said section bein'g adapted to receive the base-pieces of a corresponding section, said base-pieces resting in said top gains and on said tie-strips, substantially as specified.

2i A bookcase section composed of end pieces, provided with top and bottom gains, two longitudinal base-pieces secured in said bottom gains and projecting below the end pieces and tie-strips seated in said top gains, the top surfaces of which tie-strips are depressed below the top of the end pieces and the gains therein, substantially as specified.

3. A bookcase composed of two or ymore detachable sections each formed of end pieces gained at the top. and bottomlb aseand tie pieces seatedV in the gains formed' in the end Y V pieces, the base-pieces projecting below the en'd pieces and adapted to be seated in the gains formed in the end pieces of the under lying section and resting npon the top tiepieces thereof, substantiallyhas specified.

4. In a looolmase-sectionI formed of gained end pieces having base and tie pieces at the top and bottom thereof seated in said gains,

said end pieces provided with horizontal' grooves near the top of the endV piecesv and vertical groovesat the rear side of said end pieces, in combination with a sliding door and a longitudinal rail hinged to said door and a folding Slat-apron fexibly hinged to said rail, said door, slat and ,apron being adapted to be slid in said grooves to openand.

close the front of the bookcase-section, su`b.

Stantial ly as speci tied.

In testimony whereof] have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES SNYDER.

Witnesses:

OLIVER B. KAISER, F. MORNINGSTAR. 

